The Olympic games is Britain’s largest peacetime logistical exercise, it is equivalent to running 26 simultaneous sporting world championships at the same time. It is anticipated that 9 million spectators will be attending the main games and 2 million spectators attending the Paralympic games. In total over 300,000 athletes, officials, media, games “family members” and workforce will also be in attendance. London tourism chiefs are anticipating 500,000 people will be looking to stay overnight in London during the games. The games are taking place in the heart of London during the summer which is always the busiest time. In June “soft openings” occur of venues and the Olympic village with the official opening of the Olympic village on the 13th July and its closure on the 14th September so for a period of 3 months the Olympic party will consume the city.

However the implications of this event on the way logistics & supply chains operate is significant.